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Basement waterproofing, Crawlspace waterproofing, encapsulation, moisture control, certified mold remediation, waterproofing systems, mold removal, Integra-Clean & Dry L.L.C., Pennsylvania mold remediation, Pennsylvania waterproofing | Integra Clean & Dry L.L.C.

F.A.Q's About Mold

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS?

IF IT’S NOT THE “DANGEROUS” TYPE OF MOLD, CAN I CLEAN IT MYSELF?

Well, generally it wouldn’t be a wise decision because anyone can have a reaction to mold… but if you are going to do it yourself… be sure to be careful and take all the necessary precautions for safety. The general rule is that if the area affected is less than 10 sq. ft., you may be able to clean it yourself. Of course, safety first. Don’t contaminate yourself, your family or your belongings with mold spores. Make sure to isolate the area that you are cleaning, don’t carry anything contaminated, including your clothing, to or through a living area. Make every effort to carry contaminated items directly outside.

There are thousands of newspaper articles that tell of adverse reactions of people who have lived in homes with mold and suffered great health consequences. Cleaning disturbs mold and when you dislodge the mold by cleaning it, the spores enter the air and you are at greater risk for exposure. It does not have to be a mold that produces mycotoxins for it to have an adverse health affect on you or your family. Even innocuous molds can sometimes affect individuals. …So, the rule is, take every safety precaution possible if you are going to do it yourself and evaluate the area carefully before proceeding. We have also been instructed by a laboratory to advise against the use of bleach because of the caustic effect on the lungs and also because the chemical property of the bleach evaporates and leaves behind only wetness, which is what is trying to be avoided, to begin with. All mold killing agents can affect the lungs as well. Besides not breathing in the product you are using to remove the mold, you don’t want to inhale, ingest or have mold enter an open wound. This doesn’t only apply to the molds that have been known to produce mycotoxins, this applies to all molds.

IS THE STUFF I’M SEEING MOLD OR MILDEW?

There is no difference between mold and mildew. Alot of people think if it’s called mildew it’s not dangerous, but it’s all mold. Some can be dangerous to certain individuals, mostly those with immune compromised systems, the young and the elderly, but not always just those categories.

CAN I CALL YOU TO COME OUT AND LOOK AT MY MOLD AND TELL ME WHAT KIND IT IS?

No, the only way to tell what type of mold you have is to do testing. The tests are done and then sent to an independent lab to be read. The lab will furnish a report that states what types of mold are found, and if air testing was done, they will also show how high the counts of the mold are. Mold can have different sizes, shapes and colors.

CAN WE GET SICK FROM THIS MOLD?

Well, the simple answer is yes, however not everyone reacts to mold the same way. There are many circumstances that determine whether mold is going to cause you a health issue. The most prevelant reasons for mold health issues are; an immune compromised individual or a very young or very old individual. Allergy sensitive people will be highly affected by mold. Toxic mold can affect anyone. Mold that is lived in for a lengthy period of time usually causes sensitivity, regardless of the type.

WILL THE MOLD COME BACK WHEN WE HIRE YOU TO CLEAN IT OUT?

If the reason the mold started growing to begin with is not corrected, it may very well come back again. That is why we won’t do a mold remediation project unless the determination for the cause of the mold growth has been made, and then the correction needs to be made to eliminate the excess moisture, ie. waterproofing a basement, adding ventilation, correcting a pipe leak, adding drainage, gutters, landscaping outside, etc. Our company does basement and crawl space waterproofing. These waterproofing systems help to correct a major reason for mold growth in many homes in our area. It’s especially nice that the company you are hiring to do the mold remediation can also correct the condition that caused the mold growth. Our company can sometimes also handle some other mold contributing factors such as; drainage problems, gutters, soffit ventilation blockage, etc.

IS THE WHITE POWDERY STUFF ON THE BLOCK WALLS OF MY BASEMENT MOLD?

Most likely no, but it is sure sign that there is moisture wicking through your cinder block wall and this powder represents deposits from the minerals in the block wall being washed through to the surface. Again, this is a sign that there is probably mold growth in this area and that a waterproofing system may need to be added in this area.

SHOULD I DO MOLD TESTING?

Most professional laboratories will say, if there is visible mold, GET RID OF IT! So, if you are going to do testing to see if it’s dangerous and needs to be removed, that would not be the reason to do testing. Testing would be a good idea, if someone is having health problems and the doctor can’t find a reason. A doctor will often suggest testing, when all else fails. Testing would also be a good idea if you are buying a house and need to prove there is mold or you live in a place where you can’t make the decision to clean up the mold and the person responsible won’t do anything. Testing would show proof of what kind of mold is found and possibly the severity of the problem. Otherwise, if you see mold, it should be removed, sooner than later.

MY BASEMENT SMELLS, COULD IT BE MOLD?

The smell could very well be because of the conditions of the area and mold growth. Dark, damp, dingy areas are great breeding grounds for mold. Sometimes you can’t see the mold but it’s there. Sometimes visible, sometimes hidden behind walls. That is what a good mold company can figure out for you. Even though we may not be able to look behind a wall, we will be able to tell you what is going on from experience and the surrounding areas. This would usually indicate that there is moisture problem in this area and it may require a waterproofing system installation or some form of moisture elimination, at the least.

CAN I JUST RUN AN OZONE MACHINE TO GET RID OF THE SMELL AND MOLD?

An ozone machine will temporarily remove the odor but will not kill the mold. Ozone machines are not safe to be used long term or when there is someone in same area as the machine.

IS THIS A MAJOR PROBLEM, OR WILL IT GO AWAY BY ITSELF?

If mold weren’t a major problem, houses would not have to be demolished and people would not have to move out of their houses, leaving everything behind. However, having said that, it can be fixed if it hasn’t gotten to the point of no return. Delaying the correction to fix the moisture problem and subsequently the mold problem, is very risky to both health and property. If the problem stems from moisture intrusions in the basement or crawl space a waterproofing system should be installed because long term moisture problems can do structural damage as well as create conditions favorable for mold growth.

SHOULD I MOVE OUT OF THE HOUSE?

There are many contributing factors that would determine the answer to this and it should not be taken lightly. If the family’s health has been severly affected and mold growth is visible in the living areas of the home (areas that can’t be isolated and contained) or laboratory test results found toxic mold in the areas the family lives, yes, it is generally recommended that if unsafe conditions exist, err on the side of safety and leave until a remedy is inacted. If there is not visible mold growth or testing has not confirmed mold growth, the first question would be, how is your family’s health and is it being adversely affected by the situation in the home and been narrowed down to the home? Another words, do you or the family see great improvement in your symptoms when you’re not in the affected house, for periods of hours or days? If there is not visible mold, testing has not been done and your doctor can’t pinpoint what is causing your illness, testing would need to be done and a thorough inspection of the structure and contents done. A determination could be made after the results of all of these steps are taken into consideration, along with your doctor’s advice.